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One of the reasons for trouble on projects is that people say Yes when asked to take on a task when they really should be saying No. This results in others who depend on the completion of that task to start their task failing to do so. Like dominoes toppling, the project schedule falls apart.

The Power of a Positive No, by William Ury is a primer in how to have a positive conversation where the result is No. In Ury's essay How I Got to No, he recounts his insight after meeting with Warren Buffett. The Oracle of Omaha said he says NO to a thousand investment opportunities before finding just the right one to say Yes to. Ury's insight, "You cannot truly say Yes to your priorities unless you can truly say No to other demands on your time, attention, and resources."

the No in response to a request is always positive. It lets me know that I can count on you to not perform.One of the big roadblocks to saying No is the promise we implicitly make when we take a job or join a team. What's that promise? It's a promise to say Yes to those tasks that fall within the definition of our role. If it is your role to create project budgets, then when asked to do so, you want — are supposed to — say Yes. Saying No repeatedly would put the job in jeopardy. But saying Yes without considering whether you can reliably perform is an opportunity for disaster.

Saying Yes sincerely requires the permission or opportunity for saying No. If for some reason you can't see that your No would be accepted without serious repercussions, then what good is the Yes? Not much good. And worse, people who find themselves in that position risk becoming resentful and resigned. Neither are good moods for someone on a project team.

Learn to say No. Ury recommends that it be a "positive No." For me, the No in response to a request is always positive. It lets me know that I can count on you to not perform. I just need to ask someone else. Better that than thinking I don't need to ask someone else. Give it a try. Show more responsibility on your project. Say No when that is the right thing to do. It will keep the dominoes standing.